A Walk Through the Forest
by AmberSpyglass
Summary: Tom Riddle would abuse his charms and forge a bright smile on his face every single day. Could reality be sad enough to make a young boy be driven by calculated actions, never taking time to let himself be captivated by emotions? Actually, the world was never just black and white, for he had a bound of friendship somehow unbreakable, precious and silent in its reliability.
1. Not quite Tom

"So, how is sixth year? Too overwhelming?"

"It is amusing, in fact. My O.W.L.s results were great and now tests are easier. I have to improve some skills, but is not that hard of a task."

"Even so you look very tired, Tom. Have you been eating and sleeping well?"

"I am fine. I am only spending extra hours preparing for my N.E.W.T.s ", the boy answered as he observed Acrux stop in the middle of a wide meadow.

"Remember, if you need my special potion you can just ask. It might help you to gain more energy, or boost the effects of a three-hour sleep." Tom nodded, thanking her courtesy as he typically did. The girl turned her attention from him, staring in awe at the green area around them. Riddle soon noticed a nearby path that would quickly take them to a little village with a fair amount of houses. A thin smoke could be seen pouring out of chimneys and spiralling above the trees.

"This is where you want to live?" He asked positively skeptical.

"Yes. Away from manors, luxuriant chandeliers, dark walls and family tapestry. Just a lot of wood, dark for certain tables and bookshelves, but light as olive wood for the rest. A big kitchen, besides a few comfortable rooms for the children. Of course, the house will look smaller on the outside, but it will be large on the inside. Nothing a good undetected expansion spell can't do."

"You could ask the authorization from the Ministry of Magic very easily, Black."

"Sure! But where is the fun in it?" The girl saw a crooked smile charmingly taking Tom's features. "It will be nice to be close to the forest, the river and the magical creatures. I could use a house-elf or two, but they will only be helpful hands, using good, new clothes. I hope to steal Kreacher from my cousins, really."

"These ideas of yours..." The comment lingered in the air around them for a while, coming out as a pronounced sigh. Riddle wasn't quite taken by the same pro-equality insights his friend had.

"Oh, yes! My groundbreaking opinions... God, how remarkably scandalous they are", Acrux said sarcastically, letting a melodic laugh slip her lips.

"How can you trust they will keep working for you?"

"Loyalty, clearly. Trusting is not simple, but in some particular occasions we can afford the risk."

"How didn't I notice such an obvious fact? Thank you for the enlightenment, miss revolutionary." He said with humour.

"I am not even asking anyone to think the same way I do, so I am not causing any revolution", she stated. "You are my confidant, Mr. Riddle. I expect you not to tell a soul about my silly ideas."

"Never." Tom quickly shot, rolling his eyes as he heard her speak with excessive politeness. "Your house sounds like a big manor in a Hufflepuff style though. But do continue with your daydreams, please." She twisted her nose at that, contemplating the distasteful possibility of sounding as silly as a little girl dreaming to be a princess. The Slytherin's tone when he said 'daydream' made her feel ridiculous. Acrux scowled, proceeding to ignore Tom's last remark.

"Well, I could make my own garden. Grow some fruits and vegetables besides the flowers, you know? I can imagine kids running everywhere. Maybe three boys and a girl", she said abnormally excited. "Not forgetting to mention I will have a marvelous job."

It was a windy Spring day. Both of the students took their free time to have a conversation, get out of the school grounds and catch up on the latest news. Unfortunately, there weren't any new events, so they engaged in light conversation, contemplating the inevitable future laying ahead of Hogwarts. Exchanging information on which were the best career options was helpful, but not as funny or enjoyable as talking about personal matters. The two friends, a strange pair to walk together in everybody's opinions, barely met at the castle. The apparently heavy months of work combined with their different schedules and distant Houses kept them apart. Their walk was, however, refreshing in many ways.

"And a dreamy husband, huh?" Tom said with a smirk. "Your expectations are very different from the ones of other girls, thinking about a career I mean. The simple house in a forest is also very exotic, but I have the impression you would be crazy about the husband matter just like most of girls."

"I don't know. You're aware I hardly ever talk about having a family, although it sounds as a good idea. And if I were to find the perfect man I believe I would have to rescue him from his tower, because I don't see anyone interested around here." She joked about in a cheerful tone. "But who knows? Perhaps there is a Scottish lad waiting for me out there, or a fine Bulgarian."

"What do you have with those guys? You want a carrot-head or a rude sod?" He asked rhetorically. "Then again, interesting wants are those of yours."

"Oh, stop it! The 'carrot-heads' as you say are very sweet and loyal, and the 'rude ones' are quite respectful and intelligent."

"I said rude sods, actually", he said in an innocent tone. "Not every man is like that, Acrux."

"Well, the ones I know are." The girl lastly said with a little smile and mischievous eyes.

"Have you met a lot of Scottish or Bulgarians, may I ask?"

"A few, indeed."

"How much is a few?"

"Six of each, I believe, all around our age or some years older. No, seven! I certainly know seven of each."

"Fourteen that you consider to marry with? That is an entire Quidditch match, miss!"

"Wow! Who would dare say you know anything of Quidditch, right? Don't be ridiculous. Most are my friends and I wouldn't see them in any other way. I was just proving my point. They fit as sweet and respectful, which I am very proud of. They have many qualities."

"Most, as you said, are your friends. Most is not everyone, so there is a fair amount of possible suitors. This leaves us with how many?"

"Two." Tom's eyes widened a bit and he glared at the girl in search for any sign of mockery in her features. Acrux absent-mindedly played with a leaf between her fingers, thinking seriously about the subject of their conversation. "No, probably just one. I mean... my father and mother truly enjoy the idea of uniting me with Aleksandar Krum."

"What? Krasimir!? What a cheap choice for your parents to do. I thought they had a better taste. And the man is what, seven years older than you?"

"Uh, seven! Lucky number." Acrux said, making a poor joke out of the situation. Tom's mouth was a thin line, and she realized she wouldn't take the smallest of smiles from him. "My parents do have a fine taste, thank you very much."

"Krasimir is just an idiotic Quidditch player with loads of muscles, but no brains. And, matter-of-factly, his name is ridiculous."

"That is an unfair stereotype. He is not automatically dumb or uncultured because he is an athlete. He can actually put up conversations as interesting and clever as yours in parties full of old goats. Alek is only quiet, and his name is very pretty and strong."

"Your opinion on that latter is insignificant. You like every rubbish you hear or lay eyes on."

"Oh, excuse me, but you too are the only one that likes the name Acrux else than my parents and brother, Mr. Tom Riddle." She gave back, letting the one middle name that he liked out. Acrux also knew how to bother Marvolo, especially since their opinions about his name diverged.

Names. That seemed for most people a simple matter; however, when you live between pure blood "nobility" and the muggle world's greedy fragility, there is no greater value than a family with connections.

Acrux Selene Black. A good name in Tom's concept.

"Krasimir is, for Merlin's socks, a legendary name to carry through a world cup and to make history while on a broom. Sounds like a classic name for a player."

Riddle looked at his friend with criticism, pointedly disagreeing with every word she said.

"Aaaannnd, Krasimir gets on his broom at full speed! The Bulgarian dodges a bulger, flies right between the Irish beaters and fools the keeper! 100 points to the Bulgarians!" Acrux imitated an announcer, irritating her friend even more. Tom simply huffed with boredom. "Oh, come on! You are no fun."

"Uuuh! Krasimir. Krasimir. Krasimir." She whispered at the end, moving her arms up in a victorious manner. "You can't even say you are not drought to scream along with the crowd."

"Fine. I am done with those crazy, red people. Bulgarians look like a bunch of hideous Gryffindor flags flying around the Quidditch pitch. At least I know you have the brains to refuse Krum. Your parents really don't see any trouble in offering their fourteen-year-old daughter to a guy that is on the verge of twenty-one?"

"I don't see problems with a short age gap... and things carry on here in a different way, Tom, you know that."

Short? Just for you and these wizards, Tom thought, picturing Krum with animosity.

"And, well, it is not exactly my brain that does the job. Things between us just wouldn't happen anyway. We are good acquaintances, flying around sometimes and exchanging knowledge. Alek teaches me his native language and some German, while I teach him English and Arabic." She uttered, being silent for a few seconds, emerging in her own memories. Their classes were instructive, but unfortunately their parents misinterpreted their friendly meetings, calling them 'signs'.

"It is a fine trade, but nothing more. Being good and nice looking won't necessarily attract love or any romantic feelings upon you." She seemed to be talking more to herself at that moment. Tom could almost hear the wheels spinning in her head as she probably thought a problem through.

Her parents must be really digging that idea about marriage with Krum, Riddle concluded.

"That's at least valid for me and other healthy people, unlike your girlfriends at Hoggy", Acrux teased. The Slytherin's expression twisted at that reminder. The picture of those sticky colleagues whispering his name to each other during lunch and giggling would never stop bothering him. Acrux chuckled at his unpleased expression.

"Basically you can't control who you're falling for, either if you are willing to or not." The Hufflepuff's voice took him back to the surface, thankfully.

"I see. How fortunate for Krum, then. If he relies on his face and that bludger-broken nose any chance upon marrying will be ruined." Tom said in acknowledgement, throwing a joke in an attempt to sound less curious about the new subject than he really was. The girl had some idealistic thoughts on love, indeed, but her views were interesting, at least. For Riddle's misfortune, she was convincing him of the truthfulness of those ideas. The reason for that was yet silent, dormant, but it scared the boy. "And what about the carrot-head, then?"

"What about him?" This time Acrux had to contain a smile that had just been formed in the corner of her mouth, but she failed miserably. That earned Tom a frown, though the girl seemed to hardly notice.

"You stepped out very rapidly to defend Krasimir. Won't you even say this other guy's name?"

"Reid", she slipped in a laugh, anticipating Tom's reaction.

"For Salazar's sake. How imaginative those lads and lasses, aren't they? Literally red."

"In fact, I never saw a hair as his. It looks like a Confringo charm, like fire. Well, anyway, his name is Allister Reid..."

"Let me guess", interrupted Tom, "Fraser, perhaps?"

"Macchruim."

"Now that is disappointing. After getting a Scottish variation of Alexander and explicitly referring to his hair I expected less, much less."

"Stop joking in such a toxic way."

"Just admit you enjoy it", Tom provoked her, fully aware of how she was resisting his humour.

"Never." Acrux said with a laugh.

Acrux Selene "Krasimir" Krum. Acrux Selene Macchruim. It was annoying how she could fit well with strong names, and perhaps that was why she naturally fancied those guys. Or at least one of them. The latter name, Macchruim, seemed actually perfect, which felt so wrong at the same time. It was just bad, a bad idea in Tom's conception.

'Sure. She would certainly be attracted by somebody because of his name.' The poisonous phrase which followed that first statement echoed through Riddle's mind, finally making him frown once more.

Acrux Selene Riddle.

Damit! Not the same as the other ones… But what was he even wondering about?

"Merlin, Tom! **You** are the one full of rubbish", the girl said then as she thinked about the boy beside her. Tom smiled a bit, but not for too long. Acrux maintained a knowing sparkle to her eyes, which caught the boy off-guard and made him contemplate what hidden meanings her words had as they walked through the forest.

* * *

 **Hey, guys! I corrected some mistakes in this old chapter, and then really resented writing most of it. I made it just for fun, really. This Tom Riddle isn't quite Tom, but in the next chapter I pratically erased his personality and pressed start all over again. Hope you enjoy it. :)**


	2. Words, not wrong, brave

From time to time Acrux would say innocent things that were actually cryptic. Sometimes she simply made references to earlier conversations that people usually didn't remember. After noticing that peculiar aspect of her modus operandi, Tom started paying more attention to everything she discussed with him and others only to mitigate his curiosity. Nonetheless, Acrux was able to confuse Tom either way and, frustrated, the boy tried to forget the situation. If unable to drop the subject Riddle would, as the snake he was, subtly figure Acrux out, which meant using the most disagreeable method of all. Oh, how he relished Legilimency, specially when it regarded Black's mind. Hers was pitch black and unknown.

The girl had inherited the most irritating ability in Tom's opinion. As a natural Occlumens, and a very skilled one for her poor age, every time Riddle tried to slither through her mind he would literally find a closed gate there. The odd barrier should be only an abstract concept; still it sealed any thought Acrux would have and that would put an end to the case. Perhaps her skills were even charming, making Tom more and more unsettled as time passed. Black wasn't oblivious to his attempts, and the looks they exchanged afterwards were intriguing.

Silence followed both of them until they reached the border of the forest, as Tom digested the whole situation. For once, he wouldn't pour oil on troubled waters with his silence, even though he wanted to keep his thoughts for himself. Tom had tried to focus on the upcoming DADA test, or maybe the Divination work he had to deliver until friday. Werewolves, prophecies and omens, gillyweed for Merlin's sake! No subject could make him distracted enough to forget the invisible and quiet movements of the gears inside his companion's head. He could swear his ideas about breaking her down and taking her out of her hiding place were at war with his good senses.

"What do you meant by saying I am 'full of rubbish' just before?"

"Oh, don't be mad! I was kidding, you know it wasn't an insult."

"Don't take things that way. You know what I am talking about." The smile on her lips faltered a bit. She was tense, he could tell. Acrux would hardly tell him the truth.

"Lately you have the tendency to think I am always implying ideas instead of voicing them properly. I am the over thinker here, not you Mr. Slytherin." Her light tone of voice sounded forced and it only made the whole atmosphere around them worse. Tom wouldn't let Acrux slip from an interrogation session, and if not properly answered now, he would be later.

"Don't take me by a fool, Acrux!" He hardly ever pronounced her first name, especially with such a harsh tone. Tom was getting moody and demanding like a spoiled kid asking for a toy. "I might be ignorant to your words' meaning, but I know when you intend to say something."

"If you had asked with the right words I might have let you read me just like I read you."

"Like you read me?"

"Believe me Tom, you don't need to invade a person's privacy to understand her. I can read your expressions and I can look at your eyes and know a bit about who you are, and I am aware you see who I am too. Then, if you want to know more, you just need to ask me."

"I was asking."

"No, you were demanding! Not everything in life must be taken by force."

"A great deal of things must be. A lot must be conquered, Acrux!"

"Captivated with time and effort, yes. But just taken, so suddenly? The best things don't need to be earned that way, they can't possibly be."

"Are you one of those valuable things, then?" Sarcastic, Tom scorned her statement, which was so full of certainty that it made his mouth bitter. How could she be so pathetic, someone he highly regarded? Why had he let her teach him magical technics all those years ago? At times, even ignorance seemed a better option than association with a witch taken as weak by so many Sacred Families' heirs. Her compassion and precious modesty, what were them for?

 _'Do you still hangout with my cousin? She's the current black sheep amid her family, ironically. Being in Hufflepuff is diminishing', he continued, even though Tom seemed uninterested, 'and not just for her. She's from a second branch lineage, not very important, but enough to be inconvenient. The Blacks had only Slytherins and Ravenclaws in the past, you see.'_

 _Malfoy rarely talked about the particularities of his household, but he seemed determined to distant himself from some of his relatives. 'Acrux's just a second year, but has excellent grades and, as far as I know, she's is quite talented.' Tom's answer was sincere, he clearly remembered it, but it had little effect on Abraxas._

 _'If feeding good meat to those beasts in the forest is equal to talented, that is. This is family business, Riddle. They are just waiting for the duels to see if she's good or not.'_

"You would be surprised to hear that yes, I do think my mind is valuable. Everybody is somehow worthy, did you know that? At least until they remain themselves and act in the righteous way, I mean." There they were again, the constant insinuations Black made as if she held the secret of life at the palm of her hands. A shiver ran down Tom's spine as he suspected Acrux to know... but she couldn't possibly be aware of his latest actions. Nevertheless, those tempestuous eyes seemed to have bettered his in terms of analyzation, her ears trained enough to catch murmurs uttered in empty hallways and distant dungeons. Was her imagination good enough to daydream of what Tom did in his secluded Chamber, filled with screams of agony and the memory of a shattered heart? Hopefully, Acrux had heard only the murmurs.

 _'Our eldest aunts never liked her mother, an Ollivander who fraternizes with half-bloods, muggleborns and all sorts of low leveled wizards. I mean, that's why Selene is always around that girl from her house. They are family.'_

"So you know about the meetings after curfew? I didn't think rumours would start spreading so easily", Tom said with a steady voice, but a face haunted by unreasonable guilt and awareness. He felt naked.

"They haven't. You know how Nella is, she can't quite settle when she has a feeling in her gut." Ornella Ollivander. He knew it! That Hufflepuff Sherlock just had to stick her nose in other people's business.

"One of these nights we decided to wander around the castle after visiting the kitchens. The elves were in such a fuss, some of them saying they felt strong magic within Hogwarts, a very rare one too. Other elves would just order them to shut it, afraid of messing with a potentially dangerous person. In these times of war you just never know in who to trust, right?" Acrux's discrete sarcasm was not as fun as Tom's.

"I guess it wasn't difficult for your little friend to go straight to the dungeons."

"Well, she will be a very good Auror, that's for sure. After so many old Slytherin students started to follow Grindelwald she thought it to be wise to search your area first. The whole thing stank, and I was so afraid to investigate and find something bad, so I kept myself out of Nella's way. She continued to follow new leads though, studying her ground, but would we ever be ready to figure Malfoy and all his damn crew were lowering their heads before you? I don't think so! When she told me that, I knew there was more than just a few students fooling around, more than Nella could ever sense. You are not just studying dark magic, you are doing wrong things with it too, aren't you Tom?"

Shit. He had never seen Acrux crushed, but she was close to that. Her previous expression of rage dissolved itself into one of pain, the teary eyes making her look both fragile and solid, like the sea waves hitting rocks during a storm.

"Nonsense."

"Oh, yeah?! If it is so righteous why can't you show these new talents of yours for everyone to see?"

"What is wrong magic anyway? Please, be kind to enlighten me Acrux."

"Something that drifts you away from your true self! Something that rips you, perhaps? Isn't that enough?"

"Oh, dear! She's becoming a little spy too. Perhaps you would like to join the Aurors and lock me up in Azkaban for good. But wait, becoming a hero isn't that bad either! What about healing me from my madness? Be honest, that sounds too good, doesn't it Cure? Saving everybody from all the shit in this world." Cure. The stupid, but somehow sweet nickname was pure poison coming out of his mouth this time. Acrux felt disgusted.

"Now I am the bad guy? Because I care about what will happen to you when not even you seem to think things through?"

"Why would you fucking care?!"

"God, Tom! I can't believe you have the nerve to say that!"

They were close now, Tom's hands holding tight Acrux's forearms as she stared into his darker than black irises, eyes blurry with rage whilst hers were filled with pity. She was sad due to what he had become and, most importantly, of what would possibly be his next steps. It would be the death of young Tom Marvolo Riddle, so now Black slowly sank in anticipatory grief. In a last attempt to be truthful to their friendship, Acrux lifted her protective veil of ebony and left a passage of ivory come to the surface of her mind.

"You know what? I don't care what you'll think of me. Aren't you smart enough to answer your own questions? Go on."

The exposure was frightening, but soothing all the same, ending the burden of those silent feelings of hers that boiled in her chest and throat, limiting her voice to a whisper and sticking her feet to the ground. On the other hand, Tom, amazed, gazed at her in tender confusion, doubt taking the best, or worst of him. Seeing, feeling and understanding Acrux made his blood rush to the head, his hands pulling her closer to him. Her unsteady breathing against his skin was the only thing reminding Tom there was a physical world. He was already lost in the turmoil of sensations and memories she shared with him.

 _'[...] Alek is only quiet, and his name is very pretty and strong.'_

 _'Your opinion on that latter is insignificant. You like every rubbish you hear or lay eyes on.'_

 _'Oh, excuse me, but you too are the only one that likes the name Acrux else than my parents and brother, Mr. Tom Riddle.'_

Names. They would always haunt Tom, impress Acrux, or hurt them both.

 _'Merlin, Tom! You are the one full of rubbish.'_

Those subtleties would really drive him mad one day.

 _'Why are you helping me with these spells? I thought you Hufflepuffs didn't like Slytherin at all.'_

 _'Well, you are quite wrong. And don't you think that is a superfluous reason not to talk to you? Besides you were very kind to help me in the train ride, Mr. Riddle, and I never had the chance to thank you for calming me down.'_

Right, she was an anxious little girl three years ago. And a very formal one too.

' _How can you perform such a charm? It is a bit advanced.'_

 _'Pureblood families, as people say, have the tendency to pride themselves for their knowledge of charms and jinxes. They certainly cannot afford their children staying behind others, so my parents already taught the theory of magic and its performance to my brother and I.'_

 _'I see. If you need help with your studying you can come to me, Miss...'_

 _'Acrux. Acrux Selene Black.'_

 _'Tom Marvolo Riddle. You can call me Tom, no need for formalities.'_

 _'Likewise. Acrux is fine_.'

Tom had revived his past through Acrux's point of view. For her, his heart seemed softer than it looked, his dark circles from reading until late were charming and she fancied messing his perfectly aligned hair. For her, Tom's gazes should be avoided, they were both daring and dangerous, but his smile was a whole different story; if natural and warm, it was a pretty vision to see, and if sly, it was too attractive to watch without blushing a little. Either way, Acrux would smile along with him. He was, most of all, a good friend.

She always came to the boy with that irritating habit of helping people, never asking anything in return. Tom remembered he once read in a biology book a person's heart is the size of her fist. Then, he observed Acrux's small hand and thought that was a dirty lie; hers should be much bigger, even though an organ's size has nothing to do with someone's feelings. The thought was absurdly illogical, of course, but he smiled. That just meant she was a badger to the bone and a clever one.

 _'I saw you healing some of the Quidditch players at the pitch today.' Tom caught her attention in an instant. 'Those were quite good spells. Have you thought about being a Mediwitch, Cure?'_

 _'Do you think so?! I mean, if I cannot become a Magizoologist like Mr. Scamander, working at St. Mungus would be a good alternative too.'_

Cure. It might have been a little joke with her name, but Acrux had loved the sound of it anyway. Had he been so blind not to see her deep affection? She was betrayed by her eyes, which she hid behind floors, walls and doors not to reveal the silky, vulnerable beat of a lover's core.

 _'Just don't be knocked out in a second, cousin.' Malfoy said with disdain. 'We don't want you to disgrace the entire family.'_

 _'What a heavy word to throw to the wind, Abraxas. Grandma wouldn't like that.' The boy uttered a very unimpressed wow. 'The old goat… I am scarred at the mention.'_

 _'You should be. Well, I thank you for your consideration, but please, try not to cry at the sight of a broken nail in your turn. We don't want to bring shame for both families, do we? Especially for uncle Albaric.'_

 _'Very funny.' Acrux turned away, walking towards a skilled opponent, a Slytherin boy of her age. 'Hey, Riddle! Watch that! Your friend got Flint, that little jerk. I bet 50 Galleons she won't stand up for long! What would you say?'_

 _'I don't bet, Malfoy.' The duel would start in a few moments and, while waiting, Acrux stared at them both. 'Oh, come on! If you believe in her it will be easy money, right? I'll double the bet if the fight lasts less than a minute.'_

Merlin. The guy just wanted the satisfaction of seeing Acrux without moral support. Riddle had forgotten how Malfoy used to be an annoying bastard. However, Tom really enjoyed what had followed that little talk. As soon as he shook hands with Malfoy the girl's face brightened.

 _'So, what about my 100 Galleons? She disarmed him in what, 30 seconds?' He didn't know which was better, her victorious smile, or his heavy pockets. The next trip to Hogsmeade would be a happy one._

 _'For Merlin's beard! I'll kill Flint.'_

 _'What did you think, cousin? Good enough?'_

 _'You're still a disgrace for my savings. But you did well there, Selene.'_

"You are my confidant, Mr. Riddle, and I hope you can cope with my silly feelings, even if you don't really care to return them. Even if you don't care to remember this moment from now on." She laughed a gloomy laugh. "You are wrong if you think I want to 'cure' you. Only you can put yourself in the right path. I am just a random person along the way, like everybody else you have at Hogwarts."

Acrux received no answer and it was ennerving.

"You really should learn to control your temper. Do I have to open my mind each time to shut you up?"

He used to control himself pretty well. Once, when his mind was not so crowded as now, with so many names.

 **Salazar Slytherin. Gellert Grindelwald. Albus Dumbledore.**

 **Gaunt. Riddle.**

 **Lord Voldemort.**

Nonetheless, for a minute the most toxic words seemed to have vanished and all that was left was Tom. Tom Marvolo Riddle, a sixteen years old student with few treasures and a worthless name, for now. A grand, but miserable boy who wanted to make his friend laugh instead of cry in his arms, arms which embraced her body with intensity. He wanted to make the sorrow she felt be gone, for it was him who inflicted it. Unfortunately, no trivial excuse or positive remark would make things better.

"I think there is a better way to shut me up", he said with a sly smile, earning a laugh back. Tom felt Acrux fingers twisting the fabric of his sweater tighter, her head leaned against his chest, not a single cold tear breaking through. "But we should leave this place before you do so, Miss Black."

She wouldn't swallow his constant distance, or their fiery quarrels, and maybe he might not cherish her as much as his forbidden readings. He wouldn't settle for her omission, excessive indulgence and passiveness either. It wasn't a fairytale, happily ever after as they say, but they could enjoy their hard, tiring love while it was still warm. Their world was wrong, but it was not ending just yet.

"You know, the door is open for you to leave whenever you want to." He knew he wasn't the immaculate knight in shining armor Acrux might deserve, but he wouldn't be her captor either.

"Likewise." Tom had his own ambitions and she knew his plans included one person only, not two.

"I don't think I would leave."

"I think you think too much. That's my role, remember?" These last words were vague, although distracting, but the truth was too harsh to be said anyway. He would eventually be gone, far from her reach, but the show must go on.


End file.
